Current issue and question in Building a temp controller for my freezer/ferm chamber

I've built a temp controller that's using an Auber temp controller, a 10amp SSR, and an outlet for my temp controller. Freezer plugs into outlet. When the controller tells the SSR to kick on, i get perfect 110 at the outlet. When the controller turns off the SSR, I'm getting 50volts to the outlet. I'm powering the temp controller and the outlet all through one 110v connection. What am I doing wrong. It's not an easy picture to take the way it's packed together, but I'll get one up this evening anyway. I'm getting ready to start brewing my Octoberfest and I want to use my new ferm chamber.

Flananuts

flananuts said:

I've built a temp controller that's using an Auber temp controller, a 10amp SSR, and an outlet for my temp controller. Freezer plugs into outlet. When the controller tells the SSR to kick on, i get perfect 110 at the outlet. When the controller turns off the SSR, I'm getting 50volts to the outlet. I'm powering the temp controller and the outlet all through one 110v connection. What am I doing wrong. It's not an easy picture to take the way it's packed together, but I'll get one up this evening anyway. I'm getting ready to start brewing my Octoberfest and I want to use my new ferm chamber.

Flananuts

Click to expand...

Hmm...
Which one do you have?
You really don't want a PID for a ferm chamber. You will have to use the "J1" relay output. But that doesn't have any power to fire the SSR, so you will need some sort of external 9v power supply...
IOW, the negative of the power supply goes to the negative trigger post on the SSR. The positive of the power supply goes to the J1 relay, and the other J1 relay connector goes to the positive of the SSR.

This way, when the PID says "Turn on", the relay closes, feeding 9 volts from the power supply to the SSR.

Honestly, a non-PID "Just a relay" temperature controller would be easier?

I'm not sure why you would still be getting 50 volts at your SSR either. I know they leak, but I didn't think it would be that much...

It's not set on PID, just on off via the temp controller. I happen to have the SSR and it will have longer life and if some surge happens o have 3 more ssr's to replace.
I think I've figured out the issue. I need to switch the poles so the hot lead is at the ssr and the neutral is at the outlet.

flananuts said:

It's not set on PID, just on off via the temp controller. I happen to have the SSR and it will have longer life and if some surge happens o have 3 more ssr's to replace.
I think I've figured out the issue. I need to switch the poles so the hot lead is at the ssr and the neutral is at the outlet.

Click to expand...

Yes,
Always switch the Hot lead...

Still not sure why that would let 50 volts leak through though??

Schematic please?

Schematic in line. I switched the hot leg and still read 50 volts on my meter at the plug. I think it is because I'm daisy chaining my temp controller off of the SSR. When the SSR is closed(red light on) i test 110+ at the outlet where I plug the freezer in. When the SSR is open (led off) I'm getting 50v when I test the plug. I would prefer to not have two separate power sources to feed this however if need be, I'll sacrifice an old phone charger and wire in DC voltage to the temp controller.

Thanks for looking

flananuts said:

Schematic in line. I switched the hot leg and still read 50 volts on my meter at the plug. I think it is because I'm daisy chaining my temp controller off of the SSR. When the SSR is closed(red light on) i test 110+ at the outlet where I plug the freezer in. When the SSR is open (led off) I'm getting 50v when I test the plug. I would prefer to not have two separate power sources to feed this however if need be, I'll sacrifice an old phone charger and wire in DC voltage to the temp controller.

Thanks for looking

Click to expand...

It doesn't make sense that the temp controller could make 50 volts across the plug, because the only path for the hot to the plug is through the SSR.
Have you replaced the SSR? Perhaps it has partially failed. SSRs leak, but not 50 volts!

flananuts said:

Schematic in line. I switched the hot leg and still read 50 volts on my meter at the plug. I think it is because I'm daisy chaining my temp controller off of the SSR. When the SSR is closed(red light on) i test 110+ at the outlet where I plug the freezer in. When the SSR is open (led off) I'm getting 50v when I test the plug. I would prefer to not have two separate power sources to feed this however if need be, I'll sacrifice an old phone charger and wire in DC voltage to the temp controller.

Thanks for looking

Click to expand...

Are the two rightmost red wires on the ssr connected together or are they on two separate terminals?

They're connected on the SSR on the same terminal. This is how I'm getting my power to my temp controller. I have a couple more of these that I picked up on eBay cheap, so I can try, but hopefully it's a design flaw on my part.

Matt

Disconnect all wires from the ssr contacts and measure the resistance between its contact terminals when it's open and closed. They should obviously be about infinity and 0 ohms respectively. Also, are you using the controller in PWM or on/off mode? There are surely at least 2 more connections between the controller and the ssr.

I'm using it purely in on/off mode and I left the ones between the pid and the ssr out purposely. I'll test this evening.